What’s The Difference? Share Your Side By Side (2025)

Stay tuned for next weekend's NBW thread.

Cheers!

 

Ooooo!
I just might tune-in for this.

 

Sometimes you just do stuff for science and to contribute to the side-by-side thread. And by "science", I mean, "for the hell of it." I didn’t see a side-by-side-by-side thread, so I’m posting this here.



Natural Light/Natural Ice/Natty Daddy
The whole Natty Family

Never had any of these beers that I can remember. But then again when you get around to drinking these beers you’re usually past remembering…

Stats:
Natty Light-BB 18AUG25
Natty Ice-25088 (late march canning?)
Natty Daddy-25080 (just a bit before Ice?)
25oz cans for all

Look
All poured into identical pint glasses. I’m struggling to find any difference between the Light and Ice. Both translucent pale golden yellow. Daddy is slightly darker. All had about a finger of quickly dissipating white head. Slightly better retention on the Light and Ice. Just a tiny bit of lacing in each.

Smell
Not a ton of difference. All have that grainy/corny AAL smell. Maybe some faint wet earth in Ice and alcohol definitely noticeable in Daddy.

Taste
Not a ton of difference again. Corny/grainy. I’d just say, the taste gets stronger as I move from left to right. Alcohol is prominent in Daddy. While I find each of these drinkable, they really go south in the taste department as they warm up.

Feel
All pretty highly carbonated. Body is thin but increases from left to right. Ice is probably the smoothest drinking of the three.

Overall
Daddy is just too boozy for me. I could see myself drinking either of the other two with a slight edge to Ice.

 

Na Zdravi – that’s how they say Cheers in the Czech Republic

I purchased the Von Trapp Pilsner Pack (12-pack) that has three beers each of their Bohemian Pilsner, Czech Pale Lager, West Coast Pils, and Bavarian Pils. Two weeks ago, I discussed the West Coast Pils.



For this week’s post I will discuss the Bohemian Pilsner (which I have had before) with the new brand: Czech Pale Lager.

In the Let’s Give Lager Love on April 8th I discussed (prior to me purchasing this pack):

“The BJCP style guidelines have two ‘versions’ of Bohemian (Czech) Pilsners: Czech Pale Lager and Czech Premium Pale Lager. In the Czech Republic they choose to distinguish via the Original Gravity of the beer as measured by degrees Plato. For example, a Czech Pale Lager would be labeled as 10% and the Czech Premium Pale Lager would be labeled as 12%.

Below is from the Von Trapp website:

“Bohemian Style Lager

5.4% - Our award winning lager featuring Saaz hops and Pilsner malt. Spicy and zesty with notes of honey and hay.

Czech Pale Lager

4.5% - Unfiltered and double decocted, this traditional lager is made with 100%

Czech ingredients including floor-malted barley and Budvar yeast.”

https://www.vontrappbrewing.com/files/7012/pilsner_pack_sell_sheet_v4.pdf

It would appear that a distinguishing feature of their Bohemian Style Lager (5.4% ABV) and their Czech Pale Lager (4.5% ABV) is the difference in alcohol level. Sort of like in the Czech Republic 10° vs. 12°.

Von Trapp also provides ‘extra’ details about the brewing of the Czech Pale Lager (e.g., double decocted, Budvar yeast) which is absent from their description of the Bohemian Style Lager. It would be somewhat expected to notice the difference in alcohol between these two products. Would someone notice the difference (presuming there is one) in the mashing regime? And the difference (presuming there is one) in the yeast strain chosen?”

In the past I have homebrewed with Weyermann floor malted Bohemian Pilsner Malt a couple of times when homebrewing my annual batch of Bohemian Pilsner. I stopped using that malt since it provided a flavor aspect that I would describe as “earthy” which was not particularly appealing for my palate. I wonder if I will pick this up in the Czech Pale Lager. To quote the wise owl: let’s find out!

Served in my Polish Pilsner Glasses:

Appearance:

Von Trapp Czech Pale Lager: Straw/golden colored with a white head.

Von Trapp Bohemian Pilsner: Straw/golden color with a white head.

Aroma:

Von Trapp Czech Pale Lager: A maltiness that gives an impression of being rich I n nature. There is a subtle hop aroma of spicy/herbal in the background.

Von Trapp Bohemian Pilsner: The smell of cracker-like malt first hit my nose but then the hop aromas of spicy/herbal/floral are noticeable.


Taste:

Von Trapp Czech Pale Lager: The malt flavor follows the nose with an impression of richness but on mid-palate there is an earthiness (not a favorite for me). Subtle hop flavors of herbal/spicy. A medium bitterness.

Von Trapp Bohemian Pilsner: The flavors follow the nose with a combination of cracker/bready malt flavors and substantial hop flavors of herbal/spicy/floral. In comparison to the Czech Pale Lager the hop flavors come off as being brighter in nature. A medium bitterness.


Mouthfeel

Von Trapp Czech Pale Lager: Light – medium body with a dry finish.

Von Trapp Bohemian Pilsner: Medium body with a dry finish.

Overall

Von Trapp Czech Pale Lager: I enjoyed drinking this beer, it is very good. I appreciated the richness of the malt character but not so much the earthiness on mid-palate. The hop aroma/flavor was subtle.

Von Trapp Bohemian Pilsner: I enjoyed drinking this beer too. The highlight for me with this beer is its brighter hop aroma/flavor. This beer is more balanced between malt & hop flavors for my palate.

I am very thankful that I have two hands to enjoy both of these beers!

Cheers!

@rotsaruch @RobH @KOP_Beer_OUtlet @JacksAbbyBrewing @speakorspasm @ATL6245

 

HA! So, did you conduct (condone or condemn) a direct blending experience?

 

I did not blend. Frankly I didn’t even think of it.

Na Zdravi

 

I did this comparison a few months ago and SOS was decidedly darker and less hazy. - weird
I think I’ll repeat the comparison and refer to your comments.

 

Sapporo from Vietnam canned Oct/Nov 2024
Sapporo from US Stone brewery canned Nov 2024
Sapporo from US Stone brewery canned Feb 2025

Blind comparison over two days. I am surprised by how a company this big will allow this much discrepancy with a brand this big.

The beers out of the former Stone facilities are bolder, hoppier, fruitier, bitterererer to me. This doesn't taste like a handling difference, but rather, a production difference.

Is it telling that tasting these beers from a former Stone facility (never could have imagined this years ago) provided a more interesting drinking experience than anything I've recently had from a craft brewing company? Damn.

@jesskidden @Resistance88 @steveh

 

SAPPORO is something i REGULARLY order at stone
They have a dedicated draft line for it and sometimes for Sapporo Black( also awesome)

Fucboi hype craft fandom/brand loyalty( consumerism) is so stupid

 

Reminds me of this, after Miller started brewing a much different Löwenbräu (w/adjuncts, preservatives, force-carbonated, shortened largering period) for the US market, from a Löwenbräu brewery spokesman in Germany:

Or this from Guinness promotional brewmaster, Fergal Murray, told the Wash. Post beer writer Greg Kitsock in March2007:

So, it's not uncommon for a brewery to change the recipe of a beer for the local market. OTOH, one would expect that Sapporo in Vietnam could also brew a "US version", since obviously the cans are labeled for the US market.

I guess it's nice that the "US market" would be seen by a multinational brewery as desiring a hoppier, more bitter beer. (Molson Coors' promotional people have kinda hinted that they may have tweaked Hamm's to appeal to craft drinkers by boosting hopping rate.)

I don't know. An 8,000 mile ocean voyage on a container ship from Vietnam to California probably has more of a negative effect on a beer than trucking it from Virginia, or even California, to New York.

"Bitterererer", huh? Got an IBU estimate for that?

I don't know if this originated in the popular culture somewhere or it was a private local joke, but some Latin American and Eastern European guys I worked with used to tell a story about someone learning English and trying to spell 'Banana':
"Ba-na-na-na-na-na...."
"No, no - stop, stop!"

 

Rode Vogel - Strangebird (NY) vs. Rodenbach Alexander (Belgium)



Apperance:
They are very similar, “Alex” being darker, with slight haze and red tint in the thin stem. “Rode” is more red in the body. Both have thin heads with fine to medium bubbles, and a surface vail of fog. Rode’s head is lighter in color and becomes a ring almost entirely composed of fine foam. Both leave a patch work of fine lace. (Even match)

Aroma:
Here they diverge, with Alex being MUCH more fruity and more sour. Sweet cherry pops. Light red wine, peeks out while warmth brings on mild oak. Rode, on the other hand, has strong cherry vinegar and tartness. It adds green apple and the red wine is mild yet obvious. Oak becomes very strong with warmth. (Alex is superior after the initial sniff)

Flavor:
Alex opens with a, “wow! those maraschino cherries pop.” Tartness occelation with sweetness, while faint bitterness is relegated to the background. Red currents and strawberries are noticeable. Oak is mild. Long tart finish of fruit punch. Rode is super tart, with strong acidity. Oak over cherry, green apple competes with the cherry as it warms. Strong acidic finish lingers. (Alex is far-n-away superior)

Feel:
Alex has the texture of fine silk, smooth and indulgent, with a medium body. abv as expected for 5.6%. Ample carbonation has a soft impact. Rode is initially soft, then turns sharp as the carbonation explodes on the tongue. abv as expected for 7.2%, slight warmth. Decent mouth pucker. (Alex nudges ahead)

Overall Impression:
Alexander is more refined, sophisticated, beer, with underlying subtleties as well as clearly defined qualities. Rode Vogel has a brashness. Either on their own are very enjoyable (for contrasting qualities).

• I think the Alexander is probably best on its own, yet There are plans to pair it with a soft dulcé Gorgonzola later this week.
• The Rode Vogel might pair better with a sharp cheddar. We shall see.

 

Whenever you have that "hole burning in your fridge" problem again, I'd be happy to trade your side-by-side-by-side for mine! Great comparison. Cheers!

 

Did you consider making a cuvée (e.g., 50/50 blend) of the two beers?

Cheers!

 

I bought a Sam Adams Utopias in 2023 and recently received a Free Will Dystopias from @Ozzylizard in a generous LIF box. I've reviewed each individually, but thought it would be interesting to do a side-by-side. Utopias is a 28% ABV American Strong Ale and the Dystopias is a 20.1% ABV American Strong Ale. I previously rated the Utopias 4.57 and rated the Dystopias 4.42. These are both still (non-carbonated) BA beers that are generally served warm, and the bottles don't need to be refrigerated. I don't recommend finishing either in one sitting.

Both pour black, as shown in the picture, but Dystopias was black through the entire pour, and the Utopias was dark brown while being poured. Both leave an oily sheen on the glass, which is thicker and more persistent with Utopias. For aroma, both have a strong alcohol smell, plus chocolate and dark fruit, as well as sweetness. Utopias also has a wine aroma. Utopias has the stronger smell overall, which makes sense.

They differ quite a bit on flavor. Alcohol steals the show for Utopias, with chocolate, dark fruit, and wine hiding behind it, and it has a strong alcohol burn, slight sweetness and slight bitterness. Dystopias has much less alcohol burn, allowing the chocolate and dark fruit to be tasted, and is sweeter than Utopias. They both benefit from arduously complex brewing, using many different barrels. Both are worth obtaining or trying if you have a chance. Dystopias costs about 1/6 as much as Utopias.

And then I did it, I combined them for a cuvée. The strong alcohol smell and burn of Utopias is tamed, allowing the other aromas and flavors to come out. Overall, I prefer the Utopias but I probably should have scored them closer than I did. One big plus for Utopias is the cool bottle. After I die and am cremated, I'm requesting my ashes be stored in the Utopias bottle.